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70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

French PM says EU leaders coordinated their presence at Russia WWII victory parade

France's prime minister said that EU heads of state and government held consultations on what their presence at a military parade in Moscow’s Red Square should look like

Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping with his wife, Nursultan Nazarbayev and veterans at a Victory Day military parade in Moscow Alexey Druzhinin/Russian presidential press service/TASS

Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping with his wife, Nursultan Nazarbayev and veterans at a Victory Day military parade in Moscow

© Alexey Druzhinin/Russian presidential press service/TASS

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Over 8 million people take part in Victory Day festive events in Russia

PARIS, May 12. /TASS/. France's prime minister said on Tuesday that European Union leaders had coordinated among themselves in advance who would represent the bloc's 28 member countries at Moscow's commemorations marking 70 years since Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

Speaking to parliament, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that EU heads of state and government, including French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, held consultations on what their presence at a military parade in Moscow’s Red Square should look like.

France was therefore represented in Moscow at the highest level by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Valls said.

He recalled also that France and its president "together with Angela Merkel are making efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the situation in Ukraine, while acting in cooperation both with Ukrainian authorities and Russia."

"The international community welcomes France’s and its president’s negotiations and actions, aimed at reaching a lasting settlement to the crisis in Ukraine," Valls said. He also advised those deputies who had criticised him and the president for their stance "to have respect for France’s actions abroad".

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EU 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany

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